Hydraulic expressor



Nov. 27, 1951 N. J. CAVAGNARO, JR., ET AL 2,575,776

HYDRAULIC EXPRESSOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 17, 1949 m 0 y mi f "mf a mn m my w 2 m r/ n z a a z a /W W \l\ m w 4 n w i n T w W \llkn Q 2T W W; a 7 W K w w u I l 4 l L fl. 1 n w l E V w m T I I m 3 W W 4 -1 a y W F,

Nov. 27, 1 1 N. J. CAVAGNARO, JR., ET AL HYDRAULIC EXPRESSOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1949 Nov. 27, 1951 N. J. CAVAGNARO, JR., ET AL HYDRAULIC EXPRESSOR Filed March 17, 1949 4 Sheeis Sheet 5 Nov. 27, 1951 N. J. CAVAGNARO, JR., ET AL 2,

HYDRAULIC EXPRESSOR Filed March 17, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MOMENTARY CONTACT Pusn BUTTON MAGNETIC STARTER Fb i' MOTOR fills Kay" .6 66' y wh z. mfywam,

[IZZY/71,35.

Patented Nov. 27, 1 951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 2,576,776 HYDRAULIC EXPRESSOR Nicholas J. Cavagnaro, Jr., Hicksville, and John Louis Cavagnaro, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignors to N. J. Cavagnaro & Sons Machine Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 17, 1949, Serial No. 81,946

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements-in apparatus for expelling liquid from wet'material, as for example water from cloths and other fabric material and articles after the same have been washed; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to hydraulic press apparatus for the stated purpose which functions to exert strong squeezing and liquid expressing pressure upon material under treatment thereby.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel hydraulic press apparatus including a removable container for reception of the wet material to be treated, said container being adapted to be aligned between the head and ram of the press, and said container having a movable bottom adapted to be engaged and lifted by the press ram, whereby to squeeze the wet material between the latter and the press head so as to expel the liquid from said material; the container being further provided with automatic means for latching its movable bottom in supported position at the top of the container upon completion of the The invention has for another object to provide, in a hydraulic expressor characterized as above stated, means for locking the container in operative aligned relation to the press ram, in-' cluding means to prevent release of said locking means until after the press ram has been returned to its lowered normal initial position.

Another object of the invention is to provide in association with the head of the press a press compartment or chamber within which the material is enclosed during the liquid expressing operation of the press, means being provided-for opening said chamber to permit withdrawal therefrom of the treated material as supported by the table and carriage to which the container is converted upon completion of the liquid-expressing operation; said press compartment having means to collect and drain away the liquid i expressed from the treated material.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a hydraulic express-or characterized as above stated wherein the ram actuating pump is operated by an electric motor, means for preventj ing the starting of said motor until after the movable container is fully entered into the press and disposed in operative aligned relation to the press ram.

Other objects'of the invention, not at this time more particularly enum'erated,will be understoodfrom the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

-tudinal vertical section, taken on line 2-2 in Fig.

1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 2, but with the ram raised to operative position; Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal sectional view through the drain chamber of the press, this view being taken on line 44 in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view with parts broken away of a liquid discharging top cover for the press compartment of the expressor; and Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing the electrical controls for the ram pump actuating motor of the apparatus.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the hydraulic exp-ressor according to this invention comprises a framework provided by spaced sleepers III to opposite end portions of which are fixed upwardly extending standards II which support the head member l2 of the press. Supported by and across rsaid sleepers ID are suitably spaced apart beams [3 by which a platform I4 is supported. The framework thus constituted is so installed in the building or other place where its use is desired that the platform I4 is disposed at floor level so as to form a part of the floor l5 of said building or other place of use.

Supported by the sleepers I0 is suitable guide means [6 through which the plunger I! of a perpendicularly reciprocable ram l8 moves in opposition to the head member l2. The ram actuating plunger ll forms part of a hydraulic ress apparatus, the cylinder, pump and liquid flow connections of which are not shown, since the same are well known to the hydraulic press art.

Suitably aflixed to the underside of the press head member l2, to depend therefrom in axially aligned opposition to the ram l8 and its actuating plunger H, is a downwardly open press compartment C for the reception of material to be operated upon by the press. Said compartment C is' bounded by an annular drain chamber D which comprises a substantially semi-circular body section having an internal frame structure formed by vertically spaced, horizontally disposed arcuate members l9 of substantial width and intermediate radial members 28 which extend perpendicularly therebetween. Said frame structure is faced at its exterior side with an imperforate external wall 2| and is faced at its interior side with an internal perforate wall 22. Hingedly connected with the ends of said body section, by hinge pins 23,. are arcuate gate sections.- which, when closed together, form with said body section the complete enclosure of the press compartment C. Said gate sections, similar to the-v body section, each comprise an internal frame structure formed by vertically spaced, horizontally disposed arcuate members [9 and intermediate radial members 29' which extend perpene dicularly therebetween.

2! and internal perforate walls 22'. -At their. free ends, the interiors of the gate sections are closed by stiles 24 which abut when thegatesections are closed in meeting relation. The stiles 2% project outwardly a. substantial distance. beyond the external walls 2| of the gate sections, and are each provided with vertically spaced transverse sockets 25 which indent their outer marginal portions. Means. is provided in connection with the stiles 2'4 for locking. the gate sections in closed positions relative to the body section. This means comprises latching links 2% which engage in and across the sockets 25. Said latching: links- 26. are pivotallyconnected withthe stile E li of one gate sectionby a hinge pin 2'5, and'are thusadapted to be swung relative to said stile into and-out'of the sockets-25- of the stile of the othergate section. Said latching links 26 are of length exceeding the width of the gate section stiles when the latter close in meeting relation. Rotatably journaled by a pivoting shaft 28 which extends through the free end portions of thelatchinglinks 26 is an eccentric locking cam means 29 which is provided with a radially projectinghand lever 38 by which the samecanbe actuated. When the gate sections are closed, and the latching links 25 are swung inwardly across the meeting stiles 24 thereof, the locking cam 29 may be rotated to engage the adjacent stile 2%, thereby to draw the stiles together, whereby to secure the gate sections of the'c'ompartment C in closed position, so that the same are strongly held against'opening movement and in resistance to the pressure of mate.- rial within said compartment C, when the material is subjected to squeezing thrust of the ram during operation of" the press (see full! line representation of said gate sections and lockingmeans as shown in Fig. 4, wherein the released position of these partsis shown by broken lines). The frame structure members l9-l9' of the drain chamber Dare provided with draining openings 3|, through the bottom group of which the liquid expressed from the treated material and collected in the drain chamber may drain away. Itv will be understood that other means.

serve this purpose, asshown, comprises a cover, member B whichv isinterposed. between the top end of the-compartment C and the head member, l2 of thepress. This cover member (see Fig.

comprisesa bottom plate ,32, the inneror upper Said gate sections are: likewise faced with imperforate external-walls .lowered ram l8 ofethe press,

surface of which is crossed by series of suitably spaced intersecting escape channels 33, and a top plate 34 which overlies the thus channeled bottom plate. Said bottom plate 32 is further provided with a, multiplicity of openings 35 which communicate between the interior of the compartment C. andrthe channels 33 of. the; bottom plate. It. will be. obvious that liquid. exz'aressed from material under treatment within the compartment C can pass through the openings 35 into the trackwaysz' 313- for guiding the movements of the same. i

The wheeled container comprises a platform carriage 337 provided with traction wheelsor cas-' ters: 39. Fixed upon the platform carriage 38, so as to upstand therefrom, is an upwardly open.-

cylindrical' container body the diameter of which: isapproximately the'same as the internal diameter" of the press compartment C. The

height of the wheeled container is such that, when in place within thepress; the-upper endof thecontainer' bodyulfl will closely or 'contiguously underlie the downwardly open end of said press compartment C. Thaplatform carriage 38 is provided with an opening 4! to permit upward.

passage of the press ram" [8 and'its plunger: ll therethrough and thence upwardly through the interior'ofthe-container body; Thedia'meter of" the ram l8 is'somewhat less .than the internal diameter of the container'body; whereby, toassure "unimpeded movement or the ram through the" container body'interior. Supported by. the platform carriage 38 within the container body 40; so as to" normally lie across the openin 4| of "the former i'n-the path of rammovementisa movable perforate bottom member 42. Exteriorly mounted'in connection. with the side walls of the container body 30, so as tobe disposed adjacent a to" the upper open end or the latter in circumferentially spaced. relation therearound, area plurality of pivotally mounted, spring actuated stop dogs 43,;the .upper end portions M of which arelyieldabl'y in-swung bytheir actuatin springs throughopenings; lli-with which the side walls ofv thecontainer body are provided, thereby dispo'singsaid upper end portions M- for normal upwardly andinwardly inclined projection into the interior of: the container body. The purpose which isJservedby said stop dogs will behereinafter. more. fully explained. v

Suitably mountedontheexterior of the containerbody- 40 is a-handle bar member 41 by means. of. which the wheeled container can be controlledinwheeling the same into and out of thepress. fIo operatively position a loaded container withinz-the press, the same is adapted to berolledontothe platform' M, as guided by the trackwayS-; 31,. so asto be disposed beneath and in'axial alignment with the press compartment C anplgabove and inaxial: alignment: with the Means is provided for locking the wheeled 0011-, tainer in operative position within the press, in.

vertically movable lock bolt 49.adapted to be.

yieldably projected from the upper end of the housing'48 by a compression spring 50 contained within the latter. Projecting laterally from the lock bolt 49, to project outwardly through a slot with which the side wall of the housing 48 is. provided, is an arm 52 having a footpedal 53.

mounted on its free end portion. When the operator thrusts down with a foot upon the pedal 53, the lock bolt 49 will be retracted against the tension of the spring 59, whereby to withdraw the same from engagement with a perforate lock bolt receiving socket 54. Said socket 541s .aifixed; to

the underside of the platform carriage 38 of the wheeled container, and the same is providedwat its inner end with an inclined lock bolt retracting cam nosing 55. When the wheeled container is moved into the press, the cam l'lOSlIlg 55 will engage the projected lock bolt 49 and, as it rides thereover, will depress said lock bolt until the opening of the socket 54 is brought into alignment therewith, whereupon the compressed spring 50 will project the lock bolt into the socket, thereby securely locking the wheeled container in entered relation to the press so that the same is firmly held against accidental displacement from operative axially aligned relation to and between the press ram I8 and the press compartment C.

Associated with the lock bolt means is the means for preventing pedal actuated release thereof until after the operated ram I8 has been returned to its lowered normal initial position, thus guarding against accidental shifting or withdrawal of the wheeled container from the press while the ram is in movement. For this purpose, the lower end portion of the lock bolt 49, which extends beneath the platform I4, is provided with a stop plate 56. Pivotally supported from the platform I4, to extend through the hatchway or opening 36 of the latter between the lock bolt housing 48 and the ram I8, is a detent lever 51. This detent lever 51 is provided at its lower end with an angular outwardly projecting latch tongue 58 for cooperation with the stop plate 56 of the lock bolt 49, and at its upper end with an angular inwardly projecting thrust finger 5,9 which is opposed to the ram I8. At least the side surface of the ram I8, towhich the thrust finger 59 is opposed, is shaped to provide an inwardly and downwardly inclined cam surface 60 by which the thrust finger 59 may be engaged. The detent lever 5'! isurged by a pull spring 6| to turn about its pivoting fulcrum 62 in clockwise direction.

As shown in Fig. 3, when the ram I8 is caused to rise during operation of the press, the cam surface 60 thereof is disengaged from the thrust finger 59 of the detent lever 51, sothat the pull spring GI is free to swing the latter in clockwise direction. Such movement of the detent lever carries its latch tongue 58 beneath the stop plate 56 of the latch bolt 49, thus obstructing retractive movementof the latter.

It will beobvious that, under such ram operating condi-. tions, the thus obstructed latch bolt "cannot be.

retracted by pedal actuation so as to withdraw the same from the socket 54 of the wheeled container, and consequently the latter remains locked against withdrawal from the pressthroughout the cycle of ram operation, thereby effectively avoiding all risk of injury to either the wheeled container or the ram by reason of untimely shifting or displacement of the wheeled container from its operative assembled relation to the press.

As shown in Fig. 2, however, when the ram I8, after completion of its cycle of operation, returns to its normal initial lowered position, the cam surface thereof will engage the thrust finger 59 of the detent lever 51, thus rotating the latter counterclockwise, whereby to withdraw the latch tongue 58 from obstructing engagement with the stop plate 56 of the latch bolt 49. It will thus .be obvious that, upon such occurrence, the latch bolt '49 will be freed for pedal actuation, and consequently the operator, by such actuation, may withdraw the latch bolt 49 from the socket 54 of the wheeled container, thereby freeing the latter for removal from the press.

As is common in hydraulic press structures, the plunger ll of the ram I8 of the instant press is actuated by fluid pumped to the cylinder in which the plunger is fitted, suitable fluid circulating and control means being provided for evacuating the cylinder for completion of the cycle of ram operation. All this being well known to the art no showing is made of these features in connection.

with the instant press. Ordinarily and in the instant case it is usually the practice to operate the hydraulic press pump by an electric motor as the power source. In this connection the instant invention includes means for preventing accidental or untimely starting of the pump operating motor until after the wheeled container is fully entered into the press and locked therein in operative relation thereto. To this end, a novel arrangement of limit switch means is provided in the motor control circuit.

Referring to Fig. 6 more particularly, the reference character indicates the electric motor for operating the pump of the press; operating current for this motor being served through a magnetic starter 66 which is in turn operated by the control. circuit. Said control circuit includes a manual switch El of the momentary contact push button type, with one phase of which is connected in series a latch bolt controlled limit switch 68, a wheeled container controlled limit switch 69, and a motor timer mechanism Hi, the latter being connected with the magnetic starter 56, all whereby to provide a motor control circuit of generally well known character; the only feature of novelty here involved being the relation of the instant press of the limit switches 68 and 69.

The limit switch 58 is aifixed to the underside of the platform I4 of the press adjacent to the lock bolt 49, so that its trip lever 68' extends in the path of movement of the stop plate 56 with which the lock bolt is provided. When the lock bolt is upwardly projected to its locked relation to the socket 54 of the wheeled container, the stop plate 56 will engage and up hold the trip lever 68- in its limit switch closing position. It will be obvious that, in the event the wheeled container has not been fully entered into the press so as to bring the cavity of the socket 54 into alignment with the lock bolt 49, said lock bolt will be depressed by the socket structure, and consequently the stop plate 56 will be disengaged from-the trip'lever' 68 so that the limit switch 68 anteater will remain; open.. Upon. these. circumstances;.

evenif thezmanual switch. 6.1; is closed thezcontrol circuit will. remain interrupted, and consequently the. motor cannot. start. 4 H

The limit switch 69: is. supported from. theplatform. [4. so as tobe. opposedto; the .end .of.-the; path of movement of the. wheeled containerinto the press so that the triplever 69. of. said switch is disposed: subject to operative: switch. closing: engagement. by the inner end of. the wheeled. container only when the latter is fully entered into;- the press. This limit switch. 69! therefore provides an additional safeguard against starting of the motor. 65 and. resultant operation. of the press ram unless the wheeledv container is assuredly disposed within the. press in the. required axially aligned relationto. and between the press compartment C and the ram t8... It. will be obvious that, since the limitswitch 6.9 is in series with the limit switch 68-, even thoughthe wheeled container may be pushed. into. the press far enough to engage the lock bolt 4'9 with the socket structure 54, so that. the limit switch 68. remains closed, the motor cannot be started by closing manual switch 6'! because thelimit switch other words, before the manual. switch 6.! canbe operative both limit switches 8 and. 69 .must-be in closed condition.v

In use, the press of this invention is operated as follows:

The wet material M to be treated is loaded into the container body 48. of. a wheeled container, said material being supported. within the container body by the bottom member 42 Whichis. normally. disposed within the bottom. of said con.- tainer body.

The ram It being disposed in its. normal initial lowered position, and thegate sections of the press compartment being secured in closed condition, the loaded Wheeled container .is rolled. into the press so as to be locked therein in. thereq-uired axially aligned; relation .to and between the press compartment Cand the ram. t8, as already described and as shown in. Fig. 2. The press is now ready for operation. and, thelimit switches 68 and 69 being closed under these conditions, the presspump actuating motor 65 may be started by closing the manual switchv .61, whereupon the ram i8 is caused to move upwardly toward the head member 12 of the press. As the ram is rises, it engages the movable bottom 42 of the container body 40 so as to carry the same upwardly therewith, therebymoving the contained material M upwardly out. of the container body 40 and into the press compart ment by which said material is confined. Continued upward movement of the ram 18 causes the wet material M, as confined in the press compartment 0, to be subjected to strong squeezing pressure between the head member I2 and said ram [8 (see Fig. ,3). Under such. applied squeezing pressure, theliquid carried by the material is rapidly expressed therefrom .so as to be drained away through the cover member B and drain chamber D which surround the press compartment, until, upon completion of the up-stroke of the ram, the material hasbecome substantially dry. V a

In the meantime, the bottom member 42 of the ,7 container body 4!! has been carried upwardly pastthe stop dogs 43, which'yield to. upward passage thereof. Said stop dogs thereafterresume their.

termined by: the motorcontrol timer 1.0 which, at the proper time, stopsthe-motor'fiiand operation-of thepresspumpsothat thereafter the ram may descend and return to its. normal. initial lowered' position. As the ram l8 descends, downward movement ofthe bottom member 42. of thecontainer body 40: is arrested by engagement thereof with the stop dogs 43; so that the mass of dried material: M issupported thereby substantially exteriorly of the top of thecontainer body, thus converting the wheeled-container for service as a movable supporting table and carriage upon which the dried'materialmay be removed from the press and carried. away for desired subsequent disposition.

To permit withdrawal of the converted wheeled container from the press, the gate sections of thepress compartment C are unlatched'and swung open, whereupon the operator, by actuating the pedal 53of the lock mechanism, may retract the lock bolt s'oas to release the wheeled container for withdrawal from the press. After the wheeledcontainer' with its load'of dried material is withdrawn from the'press, the gate' sections of the press compartment C are again closed and secured, whereupon the press is ready for the recep tion of a wheeled containerloaded with wet material and for repetition of the above described cycle of material treating operation.

It will be understood that after the dried material has; been removed from the converted wheeled container, the bottom member 42 maybe removed fromthe supporting stop dogs '43, and tjurned edgewise so as to pass the latter for return to its normal initial supported position within the bottom of the container body-40.

Havingnow described our invention, we claim:

1. In a hydraulic press having a reciprocable ram, a head member opposed to the ram, a downwardly' open stationary press compartment dependent from the head member and axially aligned with said ram, said press compartment confining material therein subjected to compression by said ram, an upwardly open wheeled container adapted to be loaded with material to be treated, said contain'erbeing adapted to be re- .movablypositioned in axially aligned relation to and between the press compartment and the-ram,

said container'having a movable bottom member engageable by the rising ram wherebyto carry the materialout of the container subject 'to cOmpression between the head member and ram, and

yieldable stop clogs inwardly projected from the walls of said container adjacent to its upper open end, said stop dogs being adapted to support said bottom member and the material thereon at the top or the container after. descent of the ram ment by the. ram. an upwardly open wheeled contamer adapted to be loaded. with said materiah said .container being adapted (to be. removably positionedin-axially aligned relation tdandbetween saidpress compartment and ram, said com tamer having a movable bottom member engageable by the rising ram whereby to carry the material out of the container and into said press compartment for compression therein, yieldable stop dogs inwardly projected from the walls of said container adjacent to its open upper end, said stop dogs being adapted to support the bottom member and material thereon at the top of the container upon descent of the ram, said press compartment having gate sections at its side adapted to be opened for withdrawal of the thus supported material from the press compartment when the wheeled container is withdrawn, and releasable means for securing said gate sections in closed relation to the press compartment.

3. In a hydraulic press according to claim 2, wherein the means to discharge liquid expressed from material confined and compressed in the press compartment includes an annular drain chamber surrounding the press compartment and having a perforate wall between the same and the interior of the press compartment.

4. In a hydraulic press according to claim 2, wherein the means to discharge liquid expressed from material confined and compressed in the press compartment includes a perforate and channeled cover plate disposed across the top of the press compartment, the channels of which open out endwise from the periphery f said cover plate.

is 5. In a hydraulic press according to claim 2,

wherein the mean to discharge liquid expressed from material confined and compressed in the press compartment includes an annular drain chamber surrounding the press compartment and having a perforate wall between the same and the interior of the press compartment, and a perforate and channeled cover plate disposed across the top of the press compartment, the channels of which open out enclwise from the periphery of said cover plate.

NICHOLAS J. CAVAGNARO, JR.

JOHN LOUIS CAVAGNARO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 995,932 Washington June 20, 1911 1,169,559 Muller Jan. 25, 1916 1,191,661 Cadwell July 18, 1916 1,671,913 Troy May 29, 1928 2,219,586 Blewett Oct. 29, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,194 Great Britain of 1885 9,874 Great Britain of 1903 

